This all started off so innocently. I just wanted to know what to mix with infant powdered formula, bottled water or tap water. Tap water has fluoride, and fluoride is supposed to prevent cavities, right? I didn't know, I had never really looked into it. Once I looked into fluoride, I found such a mess that's hard to believe.
First, I saw this suspicious statement by the American Dental Association saying that for infants, fluoride-free water should be used to mix with powdered formula. It also then goes on to say that young children should be protected against swallowing too much fluoride from toothpaste as well. My first thought was, if fluoride is bad for infants and young children, how can it it possibly be good for older children and adults?
Though the American Dental Association warns against too much fluoride for infants, it supports the fluoridation of community water supplies. Supporters of fluoridation usually present a graph like the one below, showing how the increase in water fluoridation in the U.S. corresponds with a decrease in dental problems.
One problem with this graph: the same decline in dental problems was happening in other countries without water fluoridation.
Honestly, I was shocked to know that many other countries do not have water fluoridation. I just assumed it was a universal standard of sorts.
Now, on to the controversy. I found a lot of good information (including the above graphs) at fluoridealert.org. It raises many good points such as:
- Why are many individual communties across the U.S. removing fluoride from their water systems?
- Why is the E.P.A. Headquarters Union of Scientists opposed to water fluoridation?
- What about this new study that connects water fluoridation with bone cancer in boys?
- Why does the co-winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Medicine oppose fluoridation?
It makes you wonder. Needless to say, I will be sticking to bottled water for now. I will continue on with this issue in a future post. Any comments from readers, especially those in countries without water fluoridation, are welcome.
